Arsenal transfer latest: William Saliba’s thoughts on £60m switch clear as exit decision close

Arsenal defender William Saliba has made a significant admission about a £60million transfer following the Gunners’ win in the Carabao Cup against rivals Chelsea

Arsenal emerged triumphant from their Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg encounter against London neighbours Chelsea. Star centre-back William Saliba offered a revealing insight into a £60million transfer post-match.

Mikel Arteta’s men secured victory following an entertaining 3-2 cup tie at Stamford Bridge. Goals from Ben White, Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi ensured the Gunners take a slender one-goal cushion into the return fixture.

Following the final whistle, Saliba was quizzed about Zubimendi’s impact and his comments regarding the £60m summer acquisition were particularly illuminating. football.london brings you the latest transfer developments from the Emirates.

William Saliba’s transfer revelation

Zubimendi’s strike ultimately separated the two sides on the evening during the London derby. The Spanish midfielder arrived at the Emirates for £60m from Real Sociedad in July 2025, having previously been courted by Liverpool.

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When asked about his relatively new colleague following the cup victory, Saliba acknowledged his exceptional qualities and suggested his arrival could prove pivotal in the club’s pursuit of silverware.

“We’re happy to win. We know that it is never easy to come here and win,” Saliba told CBS Sports. “He [Zubimendi] is a very good player.

“He’s never under pressure. You can give him the ball and he can have someone on his back and he never has the pressure. He’s so good for us with and without the ball and today he showed that he can score as well.

“He’s scored too many goals this season, to be honest, for a number six! So it’s good to have him and I’m sure that he will help us a lot to win some titles.”

Oleksandr Zinchenko decision nears

However, one of Saliba’s team-mates has been struggling for game time recently. Oleksandr Zinchenko arrived at Arsenal in July 2022 for an initial £30million, but has since been overtaken in the left-back pecking order.

With the emergence of Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly, the Ukrainian found opportunities under Arteta increasingly scarce, leading to a loan move in summer 2025.

Zinchenko made the switch to Nottingham Forest for this campaign, but playing time has remained elusive amid managerial changes at the club. He appears out of favour with Sean Dyche, having started just four Premier League matches this season.

Given his limited involvement, BBC Sport reports that Forest are mulling over terminating Zinchenko’s loan arrangement early this month. It is understood that there is no mechanism in the agreement that would allow it to be ended early.

Arsenal’s squad situation could further complicate proceedings, with a decision on the defender’s future at Nottingham expected imminently.